Czech/Kolache Festival planned Aug. 3-4

Organizers are proclaiming "Vitame vas" (We welcome you) to the largest Czech Festival in Northeastern Wisconsin, the Czech/Kolache Festival taking place Aug. 3-4 at Heritage Farm, N2251 Wisconsin 42, five miles south of Kewaunee.

Admission both days is $7; children 12 and younger are admitted for free. The cost of the traditional Czech dinner on Sunday is $10.

The celebration begins at 10 a.m. Aug. 3 with the arrival of the kolaches. The Czech kolache-makers rise before sunup to begin the baking on Saturday and Sunday mornings. A variety of fillings will be available for visitors to purchase individually or by the dozen. Czech chicken booyah will be available, along with hamburgers, hot dogs, brats, ice cream sundaes and desserts.

Visitors can enjoy music in the Threshing Barn by the Jolly Czechs, the Wisconsin Czech Choraliers and Marvin Erdman, as well as presentations, demonstrations, and many vendors selling Czech crystal, jewelry, etc. along with displays. Christmas ornaments from the Czech Republic will be available in the Pavilion.

The farm's buildings of a Czech farmstead built in the late 1800s to the early 1900s will be open for tours. The Heritage Farm is the only fully preserved site in northeastern Wisconsin open to the public. Blacksmiths Al Briggs and Don Brusky will demonstrate blacksmithing as it was practiced many years ago.

At 11:30 a.m. kolache makers and teachers JoAnn Vogel and Delores Kupsh will demonstrate how to make kolaches, bird dinner rolls and cinnamon rolls. Czech cookbooks and aprons with Czech sayings will be for sale at the demonstration.

The Aug. 4 activities begin with the kolaches arriving at 9 a.m. A polka Mass is planned at 10:30 a.m. in the Pavilion with the Rev. Bill O'Brien officiating, Gail Johanek, cantor and the music by the Orv Konop Combo. A Czech dinner - sauerkraut, dumplings, pork roast, vegetables and a kolache of your choice - will be served from 11:30 a.m. until sold out.

Hamburgers, hot dogs and brats will be served in the area of the New Beer Garden. The little Red Barn will serve sundaes and cones. The Newtonburg Brass will play and entertain in the Threshing Barn in the afternoon until closing.

The long-awaited dedication of the restored 1800s bar from the Novak bar room that existed in Kewaunee from 1876 to 1938 is scheduled at 2 p.m., with the dedication by Father O'Brien and stories by Mark Buchanan. The bar was made in Kewaunee by Swoboda Furniture and donated by the Buchanans. Music and dancing with the Orv Konop Band are scheduled from 1 to 5 p.m. and a Parade of the Kroj is set at 2:30 p.m.